Elsie Silver faces backlash over racially insensitive description in draft of upcoming book

The description was from a short passage of her book, 'Fever Dream' which is scheduled for release in May 2026

Elsie Silver is facing growing criticism after a draft excerpt from her upcoming novel Fever Dream circulated online and sparked concerns about racially insensitive language among readers.

The #1 New York Times bestselling Canadian romance author, known for her rural and cowboy-centred contemporary romances, previewed a short passage from the book, which is scheduled for release in May 2026.

The excerpt describes a “mischievous-looking little blond boy—hair nearly white—with a tan so dark that his knees almost appear dirty.”

Elsie Silver is now on the boycott list

IDGAF that this is an ARC

If you even utter/ think those words EVER to describe tanned skin, that’s abhorrent.

I will no longer be supporting her or anything related to her.

This is such a slap in the face to her BIPOC readers…. pic.twitter.com/drWTyOBq0t

— snow-mandi ☃️ ❄️ (@mandibooktwt) November 27, 2025

The wording prompted immediate backlash, particularly from BIPOC readers who argued that the phrasing echoes long-standing tropes that associate darker skin with uncleanliness. Many noted similarities to language found in Jessa Hastings’ 2023 novel Never, which faced similar criticism at the time.

While some readers acknowledged that Silver’s shared passage was an unedited beta version and therefore subject to change, others expressed deeper disappointment about what they view as a recurring issue in the genre and in Silver’s body of work.

Reactions shared online included sentiments such as “It’s 2025 can we stop writing ‘so tan they look dirty?’ Did we learn nothing from the Jessa Hastings Never incident??” and worries that potential edits might stem from public pressure rather than meaningful reflection.

Additional comments expressed fatigue and hurt, with one reader stating that it is “so disheartening to see your favourite writers just be so flippantly racist without even a second thought.”

Silver has not issued a public response, though she has limited comments under her Instagram posts as discussion continues across social platforms.